BERLIN 17 April 2026 — The Philippine Embassy in Berlin convened a multi-sectoral dialogue on 16 April 2026, bringing together government officials, Filipino chaplains, Germany-based NGO and Integration representatives as well as the Filipino community, to listen to insights on the evolving situation of the Filipino diaspora in Europe, including Germany, and share practical approaches and people-centered solutions.
The conversation brought together key voices including Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Felicitas Bay, Bishop Socrates Mesiona, who is Chairman of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), heads of Filipino chaplaincies in Northern Europe, and representatives from organizations such as Ban Ying, BerliNurse, Gesellschaft für interkulturelle Zusammenleben, and the Migrant Workers Office-Berlin. The discussion focused on the evolving migration experiences of Filipinos, legal and social services available to migrants in Germany, and other means and initiatives to respond to changing realities and contexts.
Ambassador Maria Teresa Torres Almojuela said that “the Embassy will endeavor to actively sustain this conversation, connect the community to bring forward shared objectives, and promote collaboration with the host government and other partners in Germany.” She stressed that this is in keeping with the commitment of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to protect Filipinos overseas, and the role of the Philippines as an advocate of cooperation and dialogue for promoting migrants’ welfare worldwide.
Held at the Embassy’s Sentro Rizal as part of the Embassy’s UPLIFT series, and ahead of the celebration of Labor Day on 1 May, the event was entitled “The Human Side of Migration: Perspectives from the Ground.” It was organized with the support of the DMW, Migrant Workers Office-Berlin, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Fr. Simon Boiser, SVD of the Filipino Chaplaincy in Berlin. END
